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Author: John H. Leith Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers ISBN: 1498272827 Category : Religion Languages : en Pages : 20
Book Description
The responsibility to bear witness to the gracious presence of God in Jesus Christ "in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth" has been the perennial task of the Christian community from the beginning. But the style and form of evangelism has varied according to time and place. There is no one way of evangelism, as the history of Christians witnessing and confessing their faith makes very clear. The life of the Christian community has been and is enriched by a variety of evangelistic styles and by multiple theological confessions. There is, however, a limit to possible Christian theologies, and the preeminent theological task of the church is to test its proclamation by the word of God in Jesus Christ, as attested in scripture, to see that it is within the boundary. There is also a limit to the legitimate styles of evangelism. Some styles of evangelism corrupt and others strengthen the witness, but more significantly, style always betrays the real content. "There is an intimate but seldom seen connection between a person's thought and his style, which Alfred North Whitehead defined precisely as the 'ultimate morality of mind.'" The purpose of this paper is to relate Reformed theology to the form and style of evangelism. The paper presupposes that evangelism as shaped by Reformed theology is a valid and effective form of evangelism, but it does not presuppose that such form of evangelism is the only form that has validity or effectiveness. It is hoped that the proposal will be the occasion for self-criticism in the work of evangelism and for renewal of theological and ecclesiastical life in the Reformed tradition.
Author: John H. Leith Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers ISBN: 1498272827 Category : Religion Languages : en Pages : 20
Book Description
The responsibility to bear witness to the gracious presence of God in Jesus Christ "in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth" has been the perennial task of the Christian community from the beginning. But the style and form of evangelism has varied according to time and place. There is no one way of evangelism, as the history of Christians witnessing and confessing their faith makes very clear. The life of the Christian community has been and is enriched by a variety of evangelistic styles and by multiple theological confessions. There is, however, a limit to possible Christian theologies, and the preeminent theological task of the church is to test its proclamation by the word of God in Jesus Christ, as attested in scripture, to see that it is within the boundary. There is also a limit to the legitimate styles of evangelism. Some styles of evangelism corrupt and others strengthen the witness, but more significantly, style always betrays the real content. "There is an intimate but seldom seen connection between a person's thought and his style, which Alfred North Whitehead defined precisely as the 'ultimate morality of mind.'" The purpose of this paper is to relate Reformed theology to the form and style of evangelism. The paper presupposes that evangelism as shaped by Reformed theology is a valid and effective form of evangelism, but it does not presuppose that such form of evangelism is the only form that has validity or effectiveness. It is hoped that the proposal will be the occasion for self-criticism in the work of evangelism and for renewal of theological and ecclesiastical life in the Reformed tradition.
Author: John H. Leith Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers ISBN: 1608997022 Category : Religion Languages : en Pages : 27
Book Description
The responsibility to bear witness to the gracious presence of God in Jesus Christ "in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth" has been the perennial task of the Christian community from the beginning. But the style and form of evangelism has varied according to time and place. There is no one way of evangelism, as the history of Christians witnessing and confessing their faith makes very clear. The life of the Christian community has been and is enriched by a variety of evangelistic styles and by multiple theological confessions.There is, however, a limit to possible Christian theologies, and the preeminent theological task of the church is to test its proclamation by the word of God in Jesus Christ, as attested in scripture, to see that it is within the boundary. There is also a limit to the legitimate styles of evangelism. Some styles of evangelism corrupt and others strengthen the witness, but more significantly, style always betrays the real content. "There is an intimate but seldom seen connection between a person's thought and his style, which Alfred North Whitehead defined precisely as the 'ultimate morality of mind.'"The purpose of this paper is to relate Reformed theology to the form and style of evangelism. The paper presupposes that evangelism as shaped by Reformed theology is a valid and effective form of evangelism, but it does not presuppose that such form of evangelism is the only form that has validity or effectiveness. It is hoped that the proposal will be the occasion for self-criticism in the work of evangelism and for renewal of theological and ecclesiastical life in the Reformed tradition.
Author: James Montgomery Boice Publisher: Crossway ISBN: 1433509466 Category : Religion Languages : en Pages : 242
Book Description
Two noted pastors denounce casual Christianity and proclaim a recovery of the fundamental doctrines of the faith: total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and the perseverance of the saints.
Author: Robert Charles Sproul Publisher: P & R Publishing ISBN: 9781596380103 Category : Bible Languages : en Pages : 210
Book Description
The writings in Scripture Alone constitute an important restatement of the evangelical doctrine of Scripture, which will help all Christians to stand firm in defense of the truth.
Author: John Piper Publisher: B&H Publishing Group ISBN: 1433678829 Category : Business & Economics Languages : en Pages : 320
Book Description
John Piper pleads with fellow pastors to abandon the professionalization of the pastorate and pursue the prophetic call of the Bible for radical ministry.
Author: Elmer J Thiessen Publisher: Authentic Media Inc ISBN: 1780782853 Category : Religion Languages : en Pages : 376
Book Description
This is a brief and accessible examination of the ethics of evangelism in a post-Christian culture. Thiessen discusses the immoral practices and attitudes that are sometimes associated with evangelism and then turns his insightful attention to a better way of approaching the subject. Should we try to bring people to Christ or not? In a multi-cultural world evangelism is often under attack, with those seeking to evangelise sometimes being branded arrogant, ignorant, hypocritical and meddlesome. Against such a backdrop this unique book asks what sort of evangelism is ethical in a liberal, post-Christian society.
Author: John Piper Publisher: ISBN: 9781682160022 Category : Religion Languages : en Pages : 8
Book Description
Why did Jesus Christ suffer and die? I believe that is the most important question of the twenty-first century. Here are ten answers from the Bible. Jesus came to die... #10) To destroy hostility between races The suspicion, prejudice, and demeaning attitudes between Jews and non-Jews in Bible times were as serious as the racial, ethnic, and national hostilities today. Jesus died to create a whole new way for races to be reconciled: he "has broken down...the dividing wall of hostility...making peace...through the cross" (Ephesians 2:14-16). It is impossible to build lasting unity among races by saying that all religions can come together as equally valid. God sent his Son into the world as the only means of saving sinners and reconciling races. Only as the races find this reconciliation will they love and enjoy each other. #9) To give marriage its deepest meaning God's design was never for marriages to be miserable, yet many are. That's what sin does...it makes us treat each other badly. Jesus died to change that. He knew that his suffering would make the deepest meaning of marriage plain. That's why the Bible says, "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" (Ephesians 5:25). God's design for marriage is for a husband to love his wife the way Christ loves his people, and for the wife to respond the way Christ's people should. This kind of love is possible because Christ died for both husband and wife. #8) To absorb the wrath of God God's law demanded, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might" (Deuteronomy 6:5). But we have all loved other things more. This is what sin is--dishonoring God by preferring other things over him, and acting on those preferences. The seriousness of an insult rises with the dignity of the one insulted. Since our sin is against the Ruler of the Universe, "the wages of [our] sin is death" (Romans 6:23). Not to punish it would be unjust. So God sent his own Son, Jesus, to divert sin's punishment from us to himself. God "loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation"--the wrath-absorbing substitute--"for our sins" (1 John 4:10). Then God publicly endorsed Christ's accomplishment by raising him from the dead, proving the success of his suffering and death. #7) So that we would escape the curse of the law There was no escape from the curse of God's law. It was just; we were guilty. There was only one way to be free: someone must pay the penalty. "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us" (Galatians 3:13). The law's demands have been fulfilled by Christ's perfect law-keeping, its penalty fully paid by his death. This is why the Bible teaches that getting right with God is not based on law-keeping: "A person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ" (Galatians 2:16). Our only hope is having the blood and righteousness of Christ credited to our account. #6) To reconcile us to God The reconciliation that needs to happen between man and God goes both ways. God's first act in reconciling us to himself was to remove the obstacle that separated him from us--the guilt of our sin. He took the steps we could not take to remove his own judgment by sending Jesus to suffer in our place: "While we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son" (Romans 5:10). Reconciliation from our side is simply to receive what God has already done, the way we receive an infinitely valuable gift. #5) To show God's love for sinners The measure of God's love is shown by the degree of his sacrifice in saving us from the penalty of our sins: "he gave his only Son" (John 3:16). When we add the horrific crucifixion that Christ endured, it becomes clear that the sacrifice the Father and the Son made to save us was indescribably great! The measure of his love increases still more when we consider the degree of our unworthiness. "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Our debt is so great, only a divine sacrifice could pay it. #4) To show Jesus' own love for us The death of Christ is also the supreme expression that he "loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). It is my sin that cuts me off from God. All I can do is plead for mercy. I see Christ suffering and dying "to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28). And I ask, am I among the "many"? And I hear the answer, "Whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). Jesus paid the highest price possible to give me--personally--the greatest gift possible. #3) To take away our condemnation The great conclusion to the suffering and death of Christ is this: "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). To be "in Christ" means to be in relationship to him by faith. Christ becomes our punishment (which we don't have to bear) and our worth before God (which we cannot earn). The death of Christ secures freedom from condemnation for those who believe that Christ has served their death sentence. It is as sure that they cannot be condemned as it is sure that Christ died! #2) To bring us to God "Gospel" means "good news," and it all ends in one thing: God himself. The gospel is the good news that at the cost of his Son's life, God has done everything necessary to captivate us with what will make us eternally and ever-increasingly happy--namely, himself. "Christ...suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:18). #1) To give eternal life to all who believe on Him Jesus made it plain that rejecting the eternal life he offered would result in the misery of eternity in hell: "Whoever does not believe is condemned already....the wrath of God remains on him" (John 3:18, 36). But for those who trust Christ, the best is yet to come. "No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined what God has prepared for those who love him" (1 Corinthians 2:9). We will see the all-satisfying glory of God. "This is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent" (John 17:3). For all these reasons and more, Christ suffered and died. Why would you not embrace him as your Savior from sin and judgment, and live with God eternally? If you are moved to embrace God's Son in this way, tell God in words like these: Dear God, I'm convinced that Jesus suffered and died for my sins. I gratefully trust in him now as my Lord and my precious Treasure and the only way I'll ever receive your forgiveness and your promise of eternal life. Amen.